Search for rare match of the day

THE very special sporting occasion always generates a considerable amount of related memorabilia, but what makes the occasion special can often depend on circumstances surrounding the event and not the event itself.

THE very special sporting occasion always generates a considerable amount of related memorabilia, but what makes the occasion special can often depend on circumstances surrounding the event and not the event itself.

In soccer memorabilia the disasters at Munich in 1958 and at Ibrox Park in 1902 carry an unfortunate amount of weight when it comes to auction valuations of the related programmes, tickets etc.

The match programme from Manchester United's visit to Prague in 1958 - the last match of the legendary Busby Babes - can often sell for more than £1,500 at a specialist sale while the very fragile match ticket is worth £500 or more.

Anthemion recently sold the match ticket from the Ibrox Park disaster, when terracing collapsed at the Glasgow stadium, for more than £300.

Thankfully the special occasion is usually remembered for its sporting associations and in soccer the FA Cup finals, World Cup finals and European Cup finals usually provide the highlights.

These days manufacturers provide a wide range of associated souvenirs and because everyone is so much more aware today of the potential value of these items, produced in large quantities, they are unlikely to have huge value in the future.

So it is much older items which are more likely to be good collecting investments. The match programmes, tickets, post-match dinner menus, autographs, photographs and even the itinerary cards will all have some value at auction.

In South Wales, the 1927 and 1925 FA Cup Finals featured Cardiff City and the programmes in good condition can sell for over £1000 each while a nice signed menu card could sell for even more.

The programmes from the big games played at the start of the last century, whether internationals or cup finals, are so rare that inspired guesswork would be needed to estimate a value, possibly in excess of £5000 each.

In 1966, England won the World Cup and the market was flooded with associated memorabilia, most of which bore the legend of World Cup Willie. All of these items are collectable and carry some weight at auction, whether they are cuddly teddy bears, bottles of beer or cups and saucers.

However, it is still the match programme for the final and the various match tickets which carry collecting interest, with the original programme, not its many reproductions, worth about £100-£150, while a full set of match tickets could be worth £700-£1000.

However, a special occasion is not always one that is universally acclaimed.

When Chelsea visited Newport County in 1946 this became a very special occasion for one football programme collector, who recently paid more than £3,000 at Anthemion for a copy of this sheet!

Worth a look in the attic then before Anthemion's next sale of Sporting Memorabilia on October 20. Contact Mike Ashton or Ryan Beach on 029 20 712608.